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Enhancing the Safety Net

Polk County Approves $4 Million for Indigent Health Care by PAUL CATALA It’s funding that’s being called a local healthcare “safety net” for the underinsured and uninsured in Polk County. In November, Polk County Commissioners unanimously approved more than $4 million in funding for primary care, dental services and behavioral health services for Indigent Healthcare Services.…
The Battle Within the Battle

Cancer Drugs Caused Weight Gain, but Bariatric Surgery Restored Her Health by TERESA SCHIFFER Rhonda Smith is feeling great these days. She’s in great health, eating right, getting regular exercise, and savoring life in a new way after an arduous battle. In 2005, at the age of 27, Smith visited her doctor because she was…
Striking a Balance

Fitness Center Is Helping Women Get On- and Stay On – the Road to Good Health by PAUL CATALAphotos provided by THE BALANCE CULTURE The temptation and indulgence of the holidays are enough to make even the most enthusiastic fitness buffs take a few weeks off. New Year’s resolutions are often cited for driving gym…

August Is Children’s Eye Health/Safety Month

Children require clear and comfortable vision to be successful in school and extracurricular activities.
Kidneys and Your Vascular Health

Your kidneys remove excess water and waste products from your body. When the kidneys start to lose function, it is most commonly due to advancing age, long-term effects of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart issues, or a combination of these factors. Sometimes, infections and diseases that are present from birth can affect kidney function. Because…
Reducing the Need for Glasses at the Time of Cataract Surgery

by Damon Welch M.D. & Daniel Welch M.D. Cataract surgery is an extremely successful surgery. With cataract surgery, we have the ability to restore vision lost over time from the natural clouding of the lens, which occurs with age. In addition, special instruments allow us to measure the eye and lessen the dependence on…